13 March 2014

New Iberia Vintage Classic Engagement Session

There are stories of true romance and women who are adored.. And there are stories of men, so brave at heart and so courageous.. we call those men true gentlemen! Do those modern day knights in shining armor still exist? They absolutely do, and we're here to prove it!

This love story is about faith in God, devoting and dedicating each other for one big reason: eternal love.

All dressed in delicate blue lace, the beautiful bride and her beau show their blessings in these lovely photographs captured by Emily Fuselier Photography and declare their love for one another once more!

Their love story: "Do old-fashioned gentleman truly exist?...Because I am about as old-fashioned as a lady can be." These were my first words typed to him in an email message. I was replying to his online profile, in which he strikingly referred to himself as an "old-fashioned gentleman". For a very old-fashioned couple, we met in a very unconventional way, online, a decision that we had both contemplated in prayerful consideration with ambitious and beautiful hopes of finding each other. He and I both made the decision to join Match.com in late 2010. I was 21, he was 29. We were separated by nearly 200 miles. It only took me a few days to "find" him and I immediately knew that he was incredible, unique, and special: a true treasure of a man from reading his online profile and seeing his pictures. Kyle was literally everything I had envisioned in a spouse and everything I had been begging and pleading with God for. We spoke over the phone for hours upon hours every evening for nearly 6 weeks while he was away on business. After his business trip, he made his way to my hometown where he met my mother and father and picked me up for our very first date. He took me to an incredibly elegant and romantic Italian restaurant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I was so shy and awestruck by him that I could barely look directly at him. After we left the restaurant we ended the evening with a romantic stroll around the Bayou Waterfront Park in my hometown, the place in which Kyle would bring me back to propose 2 years later. It was the most magical evening, and it was then (on our first date) that I realized I wanted to share my life with him. I believe our love story is unique because of the way it all happened and fell into place as if it were always meant to be that way. Our connection was instant and truly breathtaking. He is the greatest gift that has been given to me, and my greatest desire is to love him selflessly as he is one of the kindest and most generous people that I know. He inspires me daily, and I am truly thankful for the gift of this amazing love. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."(Matt 7:7) - Jessie Lee

The proposal: On a beautifully balmy December evening, Kyle & I took a romantic walk on the Waterfront Park in my hometown...the place where he took me on our very first date. We had just left Christmas Eve church services, which we had attended at St. John the Evangelist Church (the gorgeous and stunning statuesque Roman cathedral that we will soon be married in). The night was dark, and clouds blanketed the evening sky. We visited the park where we once stood 2 years ago on our very first date. I had no inclination or anticipation that Kyle proudly concealed a gorgeous engagement ring in his coat jacket. As we walked along the pier, admiring the twinkling moonlight reflecting in the calm, serene Bayou Plaquemine Kyle held my hands in his. As his back was to the bayou with myself facing the Cathedral (the exquisite Catholic church which I grew up in, and the place which a piece of my heart remains), he began to proclaim his love for me, "I truly love you with all of my heart, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." As he kissed my forehead, he pulled me into his loving arms for an embrace that comforted me with all of the peace, hope, joy, faith, and trust in the world. He then turned, and proceeded to get down on one knee. With unconditional love and compassion in his voice, Kyle proposed and asked me to be his wife that night. Overwhelmed in the rapture of the moment I had been waiting for in all of my 24 years of life, I faithfully accepted his proposal and vowed at that moment that I would love him to the best of my ability in being the wife, companion, lover, and partner that he needed. As he stood up, and took the beautifully stunning round diamond solitaire ring out of his coat pocket, we kissed and fireworks (literally) lit up the sky as the beautifully prominent Cathedral stood in our midst as a symbol of God's covenant for us. I am truly thankful for that moment, that gift of love and selflessness that Kyle gave to me. We are so very blessed in love!

About the shoot:As soon as Kyle asked for my hand in marriage, I immediately knew that photography was my number one priority as far as the wedding planning went. It was incredibly important to me that I chose a photographer who shared my same vision- an appreciation of classic beauty, elegance, and timeless brilliance in capturing emotion, color, and overall composition. I wanted our photographs to reflect our love, the beauty of our relationship, and the essence of who we truly are. I envisioned our engagement session to be whimsical, ethereal, romantic, colorful, and symbolic. The "enchanted forest" that is Avery Island in New Iberia, Louisiana was the perfect place to photograph! The oak trees stand as pillars of strength and beauty, and are inspiring as they are hundreds of years old- standing the test of time. The ivory roses in the photographs are symbolic of grace and purity. It was most important for us to incorporate natural elements into our vision. Emily Fuselier Photography brought our vision to life. With a vintage, classic romanticism our photographs still bring tears to my eyes... I will forever treasure the art which is our engagement session and cannot thank Emily and Euric Fuselier enough!